Using pg_dump and pg_restore to save and reload a PostgreSQL database

Test settings:

• origin DB: PostgreSQL 9.5.5, saving rcwd took ~5-10 min for an output file of 1.6G
• destination DB: PostgreSQL 9.4.8, restoring rcwd took ~5-10 min for an output file of 1.6G

Saving the database

pg_dump -F tar -f $SAVE_FILE $DB_NAME

• $SAVE_FILE file to store the output
• $DB_NAME db to save
• -F tar to save in a tar file

Restoring the database

pg_restore $SAVE_FILE -d $DB_NAME --clean

• $SAVE_FILE file to store the output (file format is inferred from the extension
• --clean erases the database $DB_NAME before restoring the data (fresh start)

Useful links

• pg_dump http://docs.postgresql.fr/9.2/app-pgdump.html
• pg_restore http://docs.postgresql.fr/8.1/app-pgrestore.html